Activities

DAY 1 : GARDEN ROUTE

Guests will be met by their guide at any location of their choice in Cape Town for their Garden Route and Safari Tour. The tour travels in a north-easterly direction, traversing the towns of Riversdale and Swellendam, before reaching the small town of Albertinia. A visit to the House of Aloes will offer guests an overview on how the gel and bitter sap, which is derived from the leaf of the Cape Aloe, is manufactured into a range of beauty and wellness products. We then continue on to Mossel Bay and the town of Knysna, our overnight destination. The route between George and Knysna is often described as one of South Africa's most scenic, as the road travels through Wilderness and Sedgefield, allowing you the opportunity to witness some magnificent views over the forests and ocean.

DAY 2 : GARDEN ROUTE

After an early breakfast, we make our way through George and travel to Oudtshoorn by crossing the Outeniqua Mountains. Oudtshoorn is a large and modern town relying mainly on farming and the ostrich industry. We visit a local ostrich farm and experience an ostrich race, stand on ostrich eggs and cuddle baby ostrich chicks. The nearby Cango Caves, a natural wonder of the world, are then explored. The extensive tunnel systems, a quarter of which are open to visitors, extend for over four kilometers into the limestone hills. If cheetahs are of interest to you, a visit to the Cango Wildlife Ranch will be a rewarding experience. The ranch is one of the leading cheetah breeding centers in South Africa. You will be allowed to enter a fenced area and interact with and photograph a tame cheetah. After visiting the Cango Wildlife Ranch, we return to the overnight destination.

DAY 3 : GARDEN ROUTE

On this day of your Garden Route tour, we visit the Featherbed Nature Reserve and Knysna Elephant Park . The Featherbed Nature Reserve is a pristine slice of paradise that encompasses one of the Knysna Heads. This beautiful stretch of beach and forest offers scenic hiking trails and 4x4 routes.  It also plays host to endangered species such as the blue duiker and the Knysna seahorse.  The Knysna Elephant Park offers visitors the exclusive opportunity to interact with one of nature’s most remarkable creatures. Learn more about these grey giants from their handlers and accompany them on a stroll beneath the green gaze of the Outeniqua Mountains - a truly unforgettable encounter.

DAY 4 : SHAMWARI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE

An early morning start has us making our way past Plettenberg Bay and through the Tsitsikamma National Park, where a stop is made at the Paul Sauer Bridge spanning the impressive Storms River Gorge. The bridge is a marvel of architectural engineering and was designed by Italian Riccardo Morandi. A ten minute walk will take guests to the "Big Tree", a yellowwood giant standing 36.6 meters high and estimated to be about eight hundred years old. On reaching the "Friendly City", Port Elizabeth, the road turns inland for a short drive to the Shamwari Private Game Reserve, which lies adjacent to the Addo Elephant Park. The late afternoon is dedicated to your first safari in this wilderness.

DAY 5 : SHAMWARI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE

The day is devoted to two open 4X4 safaris accompanied by an experienced ranger and tracker in the Shamwari Reserve. The area is steeped in pioneer history and dates back to a time when multitudes of game roamed wild and free in the area. The 25 000 hectare reserve boasts five eco-systems supporting an abundance of animal, plant and bird life.

DAY 6 : SHAMWARI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE

The sounds of the African wilderness awakening to another day fill the air as guests enjoy an early morning game drive, as we admire the antelope, predators and birds, all of which are endemic to this conservation area. The safari returns to camp for a late breakfast, after which a bush walk is conducted by an armed ranger, for those who wish to explore the area on foot. Some time is available for relaxation, before embarking on a late afternoon and early evening game drive.

DAY 7 : DEPARTURE

A last morning game drive at Shamwari and breakfast is followed by a drive to Port Elizabeth, where guests will board a flight departing for Cape Town after a memorable Garden Route and Safari Tour.